Maine Ghost Hunters – Blogs – The Banshee – Harbingers of Death August 1, 2011 Posted by mgherika in MGH Member Blogs The Banshee - Harbingers of Death The Banshee, from the Irish “bean sí” (“woman of the síde” or “woman of the fairy mounds”) is a female spirit in Irish folklore, usually seen as a harbinger of death, as well as a messenger from the Otherworld. In Irish legend, a banshee is a fairy woman who begins to wail if someone is about to die. Similar creatures can also be found in Welsh and American folklore. The aos sí (“tumulus folk”) are believed to be the survivors of pre-Christian Gaelic deities, spirits of nature, or the ancestors. Sightings of banshees have been reported as recently as 1948. Stories of banshees can also be found in America in the late 18th century. The most prevalent of the American stories comes from Tar River in Edgecombe County, North Carolina. However, in this variation of the story, the banshee is simply a ghoul, as opposed to a sign of misfortune.

In Welsh folklore, a similar creature is known as the “Hag of the mist”. The story of the Banshee began as a fairy woman keening at the death of an important person. In later stories, seeing or hearing a banshee could foretell death. Banshees were said to appear for particular Irish families, though for which families, varied depending on who was telling the story. Stories of Banshees were also prevalent in the West Highlands of Scotland. Traditionally, when a person died a woman would sing a lament (“to weep, to wail”) at the funeral. These women are sometimes referred to as “keeners” and the best keeners would be in a lot of demand. One legend has it that for five great Gaelic families — the O’Gradys, the O’Neills, the O’Briens, the O’Connors, and the Kavanaghs — the lament would be sung by a fairy woman; having foresight, she would sing the lament when a family member died, even if the person had died far away and news of their death had not yet come, so that the wailing of the banshee was the first warning the household had of the death.

In later versions, the banshee might appear before the death and warn the family by wailing. When several banshees appeared at once, it indicated the death of someone great or holy. The tales sometimes recounted that the woman, though called a fairy, was a ghost, often of a specific murdered woman, or a woman who died in childbirth. The Banshee most often appears as an ugly, frightening hag, but she can also appear as a stunningly beautiful woman. In some tales, the figure who first appears to be a “banshee” is later revealed to be the Irish battle goddess, the Morrígan. The hag may also appear as a washer-woman, or bean-nighe (washing woman), and is seen washing the blood stained clothes or armor of those who are about to die. The banshee may also appear in a variety of other forms, such as a crow, hare, or weasel – animals associated in Ireland with witchcraft. Banshees are frequently described as dressed in white or grey, often having long, pale hair which they brush with a silver comb, a detail thought to be attributed to confusion with local mermaid myths.

This comb detail is also related to the centuries-old traditional romantic Irish story that, if you ever see a comb lying on the ground in Ireland, you must never pick it up, or the banshees (or mermaids — stories vary), having placed it there to lure unsuspecting humans, will spirit such gullible humans away. Other stories portray banshees as dressed in green, red, or black with a grey cloak. Although not always seen, a banshees mourning call is usually heard at night when someone is about to die, and often around woods. In some lore her wail is so piercing that it shatters glass. It has also been experienced as a “low, pleasant singing”, “the sound of two boards being struck together” or as “a thin, screeching sound somewhere between the wail of a woman and the moan of an owl”. 1000+ images about Banshee on Pinterest | Silver banshee, Sadness and Loneliness Pinterest • The world’s catalog of ideas Banshee Harbingers: List of Creature Omens Creatures by Type : Harbingers Overview - A beast or being that foreshadows things to come.

Banshee - A female spirit or fairy being who cries out in the night to warn of impending death. (Irish) Bird (fabulous) - Messenger from the Otherworld and the harbinger of all things. (Prevalent) Black Dog - A canine premonitor of death with glowing red eyes. (British, Irish, Scottish) Church Grim - A sacrificial animal buried alive beside a new church. (Scandinavian) Ciguapa - A blue skinned woman of the Dominican Republic, a harbinger of death. (Central American) Doppelganger - The astral duplicate of a living human, can be a death omen. (German) Each Uisge - A supernatural water horse that predicts death by drowning and fowl weather. (Scottish, Irish) Grave Sow - An apparition in the shape of a piglet that forebodes death and disaster. (Scandinavian) Kelpie - A supernatural water horse found near lakes and rivers in Scotland. (Scottish) Melusine - A sometimes winged being that appears as an omen of death for a king of France. (European) Mothman - A human-like creature with wings and glowing eyes.

Foretells death and destruction. (American) Mermaid - A being resembling a human with a fish-like tail. Foretells stormy seas and death by drowning. (Prevalent) Nix - A shapeshifter that can appear as a human, snake, fish, or mermaid. Predicts death by drowning. (German) Reaper - A being who harvests human souls before their time. (Prevalent) Wichtlein - An unsightly goblin that announces death by knocking three times. (German) Woman in White - A female apparition that portends death. (Prevalent) Bansidhe | Article about Bansidhe by The Free Dictionary Bansidhe | Article about Bansidhe by The Free Dictionary (in Irish folklore) a female spirit whose wailing warns of impending death Banshee (religion, spiritualism, and occult) From the Irish bean sidhe and the Gaelic ban sith, meaning "woman of the fairies." A Banshee is a supernatural being in Irish and other Celtic folklore who screams or "keens," usually at night. This keening is supposedly a forecast of death in the home where it is heard.

It is said that the Banshee only appears to, or is heard by, families of pure Irish descent or as Sir Walter Scott put it, "families of the pure Milesian stock, and never ascribed to any descendant of the proudest Norman or boldest Saxon." The Banshee appears in or near the home during the hours of darkness and keens in an unknown language. She may remain there for a number of nights. Although the person who dies may be elsewhere at the time of death, the Banshee appears at the ancestral home. Scott mentions a Scottish belief in a Banshee: "Several families of the Highlands of Scotland anciently laid claim to the distinction of an attendant spirit, who performed the office of the Irish banshie. Among them, however, the functions of this attendant genius, whose form and appearance differed in different cases, were not limited to announcing the dissolution of those whose days were numbered.

The Highlanders contrived to exact from them other points of service, sometimes as warding off dangers of battle; at others, as guarding and protecting the infant heir through the dangers of childhood; and sometimes as condescending to interfere even in the sports of the chieftain." Katharine Briggs describes the Banshee as "very pale, with long streaming hair and eyes fiery red from weeping. She wears a gray cloak over a green dress." According to other reports, however, she can appear as an old hag dressed in a winding sheet. Peter Haining suggests that the Banshee is associated with three other spirit forms: Babd, the Irish goddess of battles; Morrigan, ancient Celtic goddess of fertility, war and magic; and the Scottish bean-nighe, an old woman who is seen washing blood-stained clothing at a stream, prophesying death in battle. banshee 1000+ images about Bean Sídhe on Pinterest | Irish mythology, Antony starr and Irish Forward In legend, a banshee wails nearby if someone is about to die. There are particular families who are believed to have banshees attached to them, and whose cries herald the death of a member of that family.

The most common surname attached to the banshee was Mac. They were also associated with the Airlie clan. Accounts of banshees go back as far as 1380 with the publication of the Cathreim Thoirdhealbhaigh (Triumps of Torlough) by Seean mac Craith. Mentions of banshees can also be found in… See More Faeries Origin of the Faeries Fairy comes from the Old French word faerie. The word has been overused to describe a supernatural being. There is a great deal of difference in classifying a being as a fairy from the medieval literature and those from modern literature, especially those belonging to the Celtic tradition. There are other traditions such as that found in English, German and Slavic folklores. Today, when we think of fairies, we often visualise them as tiny, supernatural beings with wings and glowing with uncommon light in today's children fairy tales. And they also possessed some sorts of strange magical powers, like Tinklebell in the story of Peter Pan or the Fairy Godmother in Cinderella. The modern fairies, between the 18th and 20th century, comes from oral tradition before they were transmitted into writing.

The fairies are supernatural beings that can be best described by the Greek word - daimon, which means "spirit". They are not divinity, ie. god or goddess, in the usual sense of the word, and yet they are not mere mortal; often, it is easier to classify them as minor divinity. However, if we look at the idea of fairies, then you would find that have been around a lot longer than everyone expects. Perhaps the earliest form of faeries can be found loosely in the mythical beings in Greek mythology, such as the nymphs, satyrs and sileni. The nymphs from ancient Greek myths can be considered as fairies and they existed as early as the time of Homer writing the Iliad and the Odyssey. Even the river gods in Greek myths can be classified as fairies. These are spirits or minor deities of nature or of the natural phenomena. And then, there are household or guardian spirits that can be found in Roman religion and mythology, such as the penates, lares and genii. The Norse versions of the fairies are the wide variety of elves and the dísir that exist in the Teutonic traditions. The Valkyries could also be classified as fairies.

It was during the time of Queen Elizabeth I of England, where William Shakespeare (1564-1616) had popularised fairies in English folklore, in his play Midsummer Night's Dream, with the characters Oberon, Titania and Puck (Robin Goodfellow). Earlier than Shakespeare, Chaucer (1342-1400) mentioned that the land of Britain was filled with fairies before the time of King Arthur. In the Arthurian legends, the divine or fairy figures also appeared in abundance. Morgan, Arthur's half-sister, seemed to be great sorceress and healer, was often called Morgan le Fay ; her nickname Fay, which means "Fairy". And then there is this Lady of the Lake . Arthur's wife, Guinevere , or Gwenhwyfar in the Welsh tradition, also appeared to be a fairy, as well as the sovereignty goddess. Many knights were either born from fairies or they took female fairies as their lovers. Even Merlin was only part mortal. Then you would discover that that these images of fairies are not the only kind. There were all sorts in fairy tales and folklores.

Some are benign, while others are maligned and hostile to mortals. Some were seen as fair, while others were considered ugly and monstrous to look at. They can come in all size and sizes - tall or short, fat or skinny, so there is really no clear definition of fairies may look like. Different types of fairies may also have different types of magical powers. So, what are these fairies? Where do they come from? To understand what they are, we should look at some of those found in Celtic mythology and other Celtic traditions. But, then you would discover that fairies are not just confined in Celtic traditions. Many cultures and civilizations have their own versions of fairies. There are enough kinds of fairies to confuse anyone, because sometimes writers have associated one fairy with a different kind. In Celtic religion, there was Celtic deities in Gaul (France and Belgium), Hispania (Spain) and Britannia (Britain) during the Roman occupation of these regions or provinces. But the situation changed when Christianity spread to the west and north. These deities that were worshipped before the conversion to Christianity were reduced to the status of fairies in Celtic mythology and folklore.

So in Ireland the gods in the Tuatha De Danann were degenerated to the roles of fairies (eg. Dagda and Lugh), people living under the dune mound or fabled islands, or even within underwater domains. Similar degeneration occurred with old deities in Wales, Scotland and other surviving pockets of Celtic kingdoms (such as Cornwall, Brittany and island of Man). These earlier Celtic traditions of fairies, the former Irish or Welsh deities were also not fairies in the usual sense. They looked very much like human, in size and shape, except that they have special magical powers and they seemed eternally young, but they don't have wings. The Dananns or their Welsh counterparts were usually seen as race of fair people. They can die just as mortals can, but their lives could last hundreds or even thousands of years. The problem is that sometimes, the Christian authors have also turned them into beings serving the Devil, and that the fairies were actually demons. However this view is no longer shared, today. These medieval fairies are different from the common folklore and fairy tales of today. The Tuatha de Danann is nothing like the brownie, leprechaun and goblin of these later traditions.

Irish: sidheog (unreformed); síóg (reformed); sheogue (anglicised). daoine maithe ("good people"), daoine sidhe; áes sidhe ("people of the mound"); daoine uaisle ("the noble people"); bunadh na cro, bunadh na gcnoc ("host of the hills"); bunadh beag na farraige ("wee folk of the sea"). Scottish Gaelic: boctogaí, s'thiche. daoine s'th ("people of the mound"). Manx: ferrish. ny guillyn beggey ("the little boys"); ny mooinjer veggey ("the little kindred"); ny sleih veggey ("the little people"). Welsh: y tylwyth teg (the fair folk). bendith y mamau ("mother's blessing"). Cornish: spyrys. an bobel vyghan ("the little people"). Breton: korriganez, boudig. Midsummer Night's Dream was written by William Shakespeare. Related Articles Types of Fairies Most of the information that I have about Irish fairies, comes from 19th century poet, Williams Butler Yeats.

He wrote two works, which is of interests: The Celtic Twilight (1893, 1902) Fairy and Folk Tales of the Irish Peasantry (1888) In Fairy and Folk Tales of the Irish Peasantry, is not only description of fairies; it is a collection of works, poems and prose, from other authors, such as T. Crofton Croker and Lady Wilde. In this work, he divided the fairies into two broad categories: Trooping Fairies or Social Fairies Solitary Fairies Social or trooping fairies are those who lived in large company, like in a clan. The Tuatha de Danann who lived in the sidh, ruled by a king, and sometimes a queen (or both), can be considered as the social fairies. They were often seen feasting, singing and dancing. They can be either benevolent or hostile to humans. Another example of trooping fairies is the Merrow. The solitary fairy usually avoid large gathering. There are many types of solitary fairy, such as banshee, leprechaun, cluricaune, brownie, pooka, etc. Generally, they can recognise by the type of jackets they wore.

The social fairies wore green jackets, while the solitary fairies wore red ones, but sometimes their jackets are brown or grey. Scottish fairy folklore can also be divided in the similar fashion of solitary and social fairies. Another writer, Wirt Sikes wrote in the British Goblins (1880), comparing the Welsh fairies with that of Norse/Teutonic fairies. Sikes says that there are four types in the Norse tradition: 1) elves, 2) dwarves and troll, 3) nisses and 4) necks, mermen, and mermaids. While in the Welsh traditions there are: the ellyllon, or the elves; the coblynau, or the mine fairies; the bwbachod, or the household fairies; the gwragedd annwn, or the fairies of the lakes and streams; the gwyllion, or the mountain fairies. Here, the classification of Welsh fairies distinguished household fairies from that of the mines, lakes and mountains. Like the Irish tradition, the Welsh can be further divided into solitary and social fairies.

The Welsh name use for fairies is y Tylwyth Teg, which mean "the fair folk". And these folk lived in Gwlad y Tylwyth Teg, "Fairyland". Social fairies, trooping fairies. Sources Fairy and Folk Tales of the Irish Peasantry (1888) and The Celtic Twilight (1893) were written and edited by William Butler Yeats. British Goblins was written by Wirt Sikes (1880). Here are the list and descriptions of faeries. Since there are many types of faeries, there will only be articles on faeries that have parallel to or has antecedents from the mythical beings of the Celtic mythology. So there won't be many faeries that are found in this page, about fairies (eg. pixie) and goblins that appear in later folklore. I will also concentrate mainly in the Celtic regions (eg. Britain, Ireland and Brittany), ignoring Germanic and Slavic faeries. Banshee Originally in Irish literature, banshee actually means "woman of fairy mound" or just simply as "fairy woman". Ban or bean meaning "woman".

The various spelling or pronounciation of the word for fairy mound referred to the Otherworldly realm, which the Irish referred to as shee, sid, sidh or sidhe. The word banshee may have originated from East Munster, and there are many ways it can be spelt. In Irish Gaelic it could be spelt as banshie, bean sidhe and ben side. The Scottish words are ban-sith, bean-shith and bean sith. The Manx form is ben shee. It was only in later Irish and Scottish Gaelic folklore traditions that banshee came to mean a female wraith or spirit, whose keening presages the death of person's in the household. This banshee was tied to a person or family, sort of like an attendant fairy. She only foretells the pending death of a person. Unlike the Breton fairy woman korrigan , the banshee doesn't cause a person's death with her power or curse. Related to the banshee is the Washer or Washer-woman at the Ford, known in Scottish folklore as bean sighe . According to the Irish poet Yeats, banshee was sometimes accompanied by the Dullahan , a headless fairy coachman.

It is also sometimes believed that on these occasion, the banshee is also headless. It has been reported in 1807 that one headless banshee had frightened to death two sentries stationed at James' Park. The banshee was sometimes seen as a young, fair woman, especially in Irish texts, while other sources from Scottish tradition described her as an old hag. Her description varied. What is common in both traditions was that banshee had long, unbound hair, and dressed in white, though, sometimes she was seen dressed in a grey cloak over a green dress. Another common tradition is that she can be heard weeping or wailing, that sounds like the keening of mourners. And because of continuous weeping, her eyes were red in colour. In 1987, Patrica Lysaght claimed that the closest anticipation of the banshee found in Old Irish mythology was Fedelm , the seeress in the Táin Bó Cuailnge (Ulster Cycle). There is a wonderful description of her looks, how she dressed and her gifts in divination.

However, I dubious of Lysaght's claim; Fedelm she wasn't a wraith like the banshee, but trained in Alba (name for Scotland in Gaelic). Bean Nighe Bean nighe was a Scottish Gaelic name for the Washer at the Ford. The Washer or Washerwoman can be found in almost every Celtic cultures. Bean nighe is just one of the different forms of the Irish banshee , a female wraith figure. In the Scottish Gaelic tradition, the washer is the harbinger of death. According to the Scottish Gaelic tradition, the bean nighe was a woman who died at child birth. She was described as a woman dressed in green, but can be recognised by her webbed feet. The female figure that presaging death, but they were found at streams or lakes, washing bloodstained clothes of those who would die. It was better for a person to see her first, before she sees that person. It was possible for a person to escape his or her doom, if the person was brave enough seized her breast and suck on it. The person was then protected because he or she would become a foster-child of this female wraith.

Earlier Irish and Welsh legends, the Washer at the Ford only bore superficial resemblance to the Scottish bean nighe. The earlier washing women in early Irish and Welsh traditions were goddesses, and bean nighe were probably derived from these figures. These antecedent of the bean nighe are the Irish goddess Morrigan and the Welsh goddess Modron . In the Irish myth, Dagda met such woman washing at the ford of the River Unshin, near Glenn Etin on Samhain night. This lovely woman was beautiful. This was not presaging of Dagda's doom. Dagda slept with her, and she offered to aid him in the coming battle. Though the name of this woman was not given, she was most likely to be Morrigan , or Badb. Here, she foretold the defeat of the Fomorians. But that was not only the purpose of Morrigan. Morrigan represented the Sovereignty of Ireland. For Ireland to enjoy its wealth and fertility, it required a king to have sex with the Sovereignty Goddess (or Lady) of Ireland. For Ireland to renew its prosperity and the fertility of the land, Dagda was required to sleep with Morrigan each year on Samhain night.

See Wedded to the Land in Celtic World . In Welsh tradition, this washer was Modron , the great goddess and the mother of Mabon . She was no figure presaging the fate of a person. Modron was doomed to wash at Rhyd y Gyfarthfa or the "Ford of Barking", until a Christian break the curse she has being under, by sleeping with her and fathering a son. This Christian was the great king from the North, named Urien Rheged . Her son by this Christian was Owain, a hero known in the Arthurian legend as Yvain or Ywain. Changeling According to folklore, a fairy would secretly exchange a mortal infant with that of the fairy kind. The fairy baby was called changeling. Sometimes, the stolen babies were returned to the families, especially when a person can expose the true nature of the changeling. The changeling existed in all folklore and fairy tales. In Scottish Gaelic tradition, the changeling was called tàcharan or umaidh. In Irish folklore, it is corpán sidhe, síodhbradh or síofra; and in Manx it is Ihianoo shee.

The Welsh called them plentyn a neidiwyd am arall. Usually the fairy babies were sickly. One way to recognise them is to place them on a fire and chant a formula. If it is a changeling, it would leave, climbing up the chimney. According to Yeats, the stolen baby will live in a place of full "good living and music and mirth". So far, in Celtic mythology I have come across mortal babies being stolen by fairies, but not replaced with fairy infants. corpan sidhe, siodbhradh, siofra (Irish). tacharan, umaidh (Scottish Gaelic). plentyn a newidiwyd am arall (Welsh). Ihiannoo shee (Manx). Irish, Scottish Gaelic, Manx, Welsh. Type social. Sources Fairy and Folk Tales of the Irish Peasantry was written and edited by William Butler Yeats (1888). Ancient Legends, Mystic Charms, and Superstitions of Ireland was written by Lady Francesca Speranza Wilde (1887).

Dullahan The headless phantom coachman, who drive a black coach, known as coach-a-bower (cóiste-bodhar), sometimes drawn by headless horses. In the coach, there is a coffin; Thomas Crofton Croker called it the Death Cart. The Dullahan were usually accompanied by the banshee, wailing as if in the funeral. Sometimes, this banshee is also headless. In other tradition, the Dullahan doesn't ride in a coach, but ride a headless horse. If a person opened a door, when he or she hears a coach rumbling by, that person may have a pitcherful of blood thrown onto the person's face. That person is therefore marked for death. It seemed that dullahan can take off or put on his head at will. The dullahan may even toss his head around like in a gruesome ballgame. Those who watch him pass may lose their eye to his whip. According to Yeats, the cracking of whip is the omen of death. There are antecedent to headless phantom or person are scattered throughout older Celtic literature.

The best known was Curoi (or Cu Roi), a king of Munster, who was involved in a beheading games with three Ulster's champions in the tale of Fled Bricrenn ( Feast of Bricriu ). A similar beheading tale is found in Middle English poem Sir Gawain and the Green Knight . solitary. Sources Fairy and Folk Tales of the Irish Peasantry was written and edited by William Butler Yeats (1888). Fairy Legends and Traditions was written by Thomas Crofton Croker (1825). Related Articles Elf The elf or alf was derived from Teutonic origin. Description of the elves varied from author to author and from one period to another. The elves were introduced into the Celtic folklore in the later tradition. According to the Norse myths, there are two groups or tribes of elves. The light-elves, known as ljásálfar, lived in the world called Alfheim, which the Vanir god Freyr ruled. The light-elves were seen as fair.

The other group of elves were the dark-elves, dokkálfar, living in Nidavellir, or black elves, svartálfar, living in the world called Svartalfheim. There seemed to be a difference between dark-elves and black elves. The dark elves were described with complexion - black than night – and they were short like the dwarves. The dark elves like the dwarves were known for their invention and craftsmanship. To the Norse tradition, the elves were spirits or minor deities of the woodland or household. See Of Dwarves and Elves in the Norse Mythology section. In later Germanic folklore, the elves had changed – becoming diminutive in size, like the Celtic counterpart of the fairies. It was this tradition as household spirits, that the elves were later given in Germanic and Celtic folklore traditions. The closest thing that the Celtic people had to the elves were the ellyll from Welsh tradition. They were short or tiny, and can be seen as benevolent if pleased, so they would care for the house, doing chores in the night.

If they were offended they can become malevolent, disrupting the household, by breaking dishes, spilling milk, keeping the occupants awake at night with their noises, chasing away livestock. These elves were degenerated into the kobold in Germanic folklore, or in the Scottish Gaelic folklore as the brownie . British Goblins (1880) was written by Wirt Sikes. Related Articles The Fool (Amandán) The Fool known in Irish and Scottish Gaelic as Amandán is a social fairy. They are sometimes seen wiser than their masters. According to W. B. Yeats, the Great Fool, or Amandán Már, resides in the fairy palace. In Yeats' description of The Queen and The Fool, the fairy queen and the fool in the royal household have great powers. It was better to avoid these two figures in the palace, because their touch can cause paralytic seizure or even death to any mortal. This touch is known as poc sídhe or the "fairy stroke". The stroke is an English medical term for the cerebral hemorrhage. The Fool is to be especially avoided on the month of June. social.

Sources Fairy and Folk Tales of the Irish Peasantry (1888) and The Celtic Twilight (1893) were written and edited by William Butler Yeats. Goblin Just like the names fairy and elf, goblin has different meaning and different usage for different people. Only several creatures are seen as goblins in Celtic folklore. But goblin is probably not the right description. Some goblins can appeared benevolent, while others are mischievous or malevolent creatures. In Irish folklore, the dullahan and cluricaune were considered to be goblins. And so was the Welsh bwgan. In Irish myth about Finn Mac Cumhaill , there is Aillén Mac Midgna , better known as Aillén the Burner, who was considered to be a goblin. On Samhain-eve, Aillén would come playing his harp, whose melody would put everyone to sleep, where he could cause part of destruction of Tara. There was no description of what he looked like. See Fenian Cycle .

Korrigan The most common female fairies in the Breton tradition are the korrigans that resided in the woods, especially at Broceliande, often near a stream, spring or fountain. She was fairy that seeks a mortal lover. The korrigan seemed to be Breton version of the banshee. The korrigan was probably a pagan druidess originally. She was equated with gwragedd annwn – the Welsh fairies of the lake and streams. She tried to seduce mortal who would drink from her water, she would lure him to sleep with her. If the man refused her advance or seduction, she would angrily curse him to a doom. This is what happened to the Seigneur of Nann. The Seigneur was married to a woman whom he loved. One day, his wife asked for some May-blossoms from the forest. The Seigneur rode out, but during his ride, he became thirsty, and drank the water from a fountain. Here, the Seigneur encountered the korrigan who demanded that he sleep with her. But the Seigneur angrily refused because he was faithful to his wife and rode away after hearing that he would die in three days.

The moment the Seigneur rode back to his castle, he went immediately to the church, instead of back to his wife. The priest, his mother and other people kept the secret of his fate from his wife. Three days later, the Seigneur's mother finally told her daughter-in-law the truth. The wife died of broken heart and was buried beside the Seigneur. In Breton folklore, she was the most likely suspect in the abduction of mortal infants. As foster-mother of the baby, she would raise it as if the child was her own. The korrigan has been compared to several figures in mythology and legend. These were most likely antecedents of the korrigan. One of them is the Welsh goddess Ceridwen (or Keridwen). She was wife of the giant Tegid Foel and reside Lake Tegid. There are two other notable antecedents to the korrigan, but within the Arthurian legend, where they reside either near a fountain or within the lake itself at Broceliande. They are the Countess or Lady of the Fountain, and the Lady of the Lake.

The korrigan was sort of like the Lady of the Fountain in the legend of Welsh Owain or French Yvain . Though the Welsh version in the Mabinogion doesn't disclose the name of forest or the fountain, Chretien de Troyes had located fountain in the forest of Broceliande. Owain or Yvain actually married the Lady of the Fountain after slaying her husband. Though the hero wasn't doomed to die, he lost his wit because a damsel removed the wedding ring from his finger, because he forgot to return to his wife after one year's sojourn in King Arthur's court. He roamed the forest as a naked wild man. Eventually his wits was restored and he was reunited with his wife, after many heroic adventures. The Lady of the Fountain didn't seem to have any special power like korrigan, but she was lady of otherworldly castle and her fountain have strange power over the weather. See Yvain and the Lady of the Fountain . The Lady of the Lake is known by several names - Niniane, Viviane, Vivian, Vivien, Eviene and Nimue.

Whatever her original name was, by the time of Chretien de Troyes (died in c. 1185), she was seen more of a fairy than a goddess. The Lady of the Lake exhibited the closest characteristics to the korrigan, but the Lady was more benevolent than the korrigans. The Lady of the Lake was responsible for giving the sword Exicalibur to King Arthur (see Legend of Excalibur, New Sword ). She abducted the infant from Queen Elaine (or Helen) of Banoic and raised the infant Lancelot to manhood. She was Lancelot's tutor. (See Lancelot .) But most interesting is the Lady of the Lake connection with Merlin , Arthur's wizard and counsellor. Merlin was infatuated with the lovely Lady of the Lake. Though, Merlin was gifted with divination, he was helpless to prevent his doom. He taught her all his skill in magic in the hope of winning her love, which included hiding her palace and domain either under the lake or in illusionary lake.

But Lady of the Lake had no intention of sleeping with the wizard, and she used the last magic he had taught her, to confine or entomb Merlin in or under the large stone. (See Legend of Excalibur, Death of Merlin .) Both the Lady of the Fountain and the Lady of the Lake were thought to be originally goddesses of the water. And due to the connection of these lady to a bodies of water within the forest of Broceliande, there is a striking resemblance to the korrigans. Legends and Romances of Brittany was written by Lewis Spence (1917). Related Articles Leprechaun Of all the fairies people, the one that most people today are familiar with is the leprechaun. However, the leprechaun statuettes that we see in people's garden, have being seriously misrepresented. In Irish folklore, the leprechaun was one of the best known male solitary fairy. They have a lot in common with two other male solitary fairies - cluricaune and far darrig. Like these other two fairies, they are mischievous and known for playing practical jokes upon mortals.

The leprachaun could be spelt lepracaun. In Irish, it is leith bhrogan or leith phrogan. They dressed in a homely style clothes that looks very ordinary compared to other solitary fairies. The leprechaun was a tiny male figure, with an old, withered face. He was the shoemaker. Yeats says that he was one-shoemaker, because he was only seen making a single shoe. They also have hidden many treasure-crocks Most of the tales about leprechaun can be found in Thomas Crofton Croker's Fairy Legends and Traditions and Lady Wilde's Ancient Legends, Mystic Charms, and Superstitions of Ireland. solitary. Sources Fairy and Folk Tales of the Irish Peasantry (1888) was written and edited by William Butler Yeats. Fairy Legends and Traditions (1825) was written by Thomas Crofton Croker. Ancient Legends, Mystic Charms, and Superstitions of Ireland (1887) was written by Lady Francesca Speranza Wilde. Pooka Pooka or púca was a shape shifting creature.

Depending on the writers, the pooka was either benevolent or malevolent fairy. They were often identify with pwca of Welsh tradition. According to Yeats, whom he listed T. C. Croker as one of his sources, the pooka was either mischievous or malevolent, often taking the shape of horse, offering unsuspecting traveller a ride that was dangerous if not deadly. Other shape it favoured is the ass. Yeats says that Lady Wilde believed that the pooka was benevolent and helpful like the Scottish brownie . They appeared most frequently on Novemeber Eve (night of October 31), which is Samhain eve (or the moderen Halloween), in which the pooka would spoil blackberry. Seeks Ghosts: Harbinger Spirits Friday, May 13, 2011 Harbinger Spirits A harbinger (pronounced har-bin-ger) is a spirit who is a messenger who foretells. Some people believe when these messengers appear it means something bad is about to happen. Others believe if you take heed of the harbinger’s message the occurrence can be diverted. The traditional Irish harbinger is the Banshee.

This harbinger is a female spirit or fairy that foretells someone’s death. Banshees are connected to specific Irish families and they wail when someone in that family is about to die. Immediate family members do not hear the banshee’s wail instead they are only heard by other relatives and family friends who take heed and travel to be with the person dying. The Irish banshee also appears as a bird. Harbingers often take the form of women or birds. Many believe Native American people view the crow or raven as a harbinger of death—this is not correct. The animal most often related to harbingers within Native American cultures is the horse. They feel the horse is the harbinger of spirit knowledge. So some Spirit Harbingers are considered helpers and messengers of good. Washington D.C. has its own harbinger cat. D.C. as they have named it, is described as a Demon Cat or phantom cat. This black Demon Cat has been spotted in the basements of the White House and the U.S. Capital Building. When it makes an appearance it at first looks like a harmless kitten but legend has it that as you move closer--it becomes larger and more menacing.

I tell many more stories about the ghosts seen in the capital building here . It is believed that a national disaster will happen shortly after it appears. It was seen shortly before the great stock market crash in the 1920’s and a guard spotted it just before JFK was assassinated. The stories about harbingers are widespread and varied. Lighthouses have had harbingers appear just before a shipwreck. When sailors encountered harbingers--these were often in the form of phantom or derelict ships –it always foretold something bad was going to happen to them. The Delta Queen River Boat has had a female harbinger appear several times. Two captains of this vessel claim her appearance helped to divert two potential disasters. The complete story is here . Posted by Banshee | Demon Hunter Wiki | Fandom powered by Wikia Share The Banshee is yet another harbinger, bringing a warning of impending death to the family it has chosen to attach itself to. When she senses an impending death, she keens with an ear-piercing tone (although she has been known to sing or weep as well). Those who are to die are able to hear her cries clearly, no matter where they are in the world.

According to ancient Celtic legends, the Banshee is said to come into existence when a woman dies in childbirth, creating a ghost that is doomed to foretell the deaths of the living. Species: Undead (Incorporeal), Spirit of the Dead Other Names: The Banshee goes by many different names, according to regional folklore and culture. Bean Sidhe, Badbh, Bean Chaointe, Baoban Sith (actually another species altogether), Ban Nighechain, Bean Nighe, Caointeach, Washer of the Shrouds, Washer at the Banks, Washer at the Ford, Cyhiraeth, Cyoerraeth, Gwrach y Rhibyn, Eur-Cunnere Noe, Kannerez-Noz. The word banshee comes from the Gaelic term bean sidhe (pronounced “b’an shee”), which means “woman of the mounds.” Habitat: The Banshee is said to inhabit the hills and highlands of Ireland and Scotland, and this spirit has been seen in France and Germany as well. The Banshee has been known to attach itself to certain families, following them anywhere. This spirit has even been reported in America.

Basically, if one looks hard enough, she can be found just about anywhere. Features: The Banshee’s appearance seems to vary quite a bit. Some legends say that she is a hag, having fiery red eyes (from constantly weeping) and long, flowing white hair, wearing a gray cloak over a green dress (a faerie color). Other legends say that the Banshee appears as a beautiful woman dressed in white (the color of death) with long, luscious red hair. Although beautiful, the Banshee’s face is veiled in mourning. Behavior: The Banshee attaches herself to certain families, doomed to foretell the deaths of the each member of that family. However, the Banshee does not wail, contrary to popular belief. Instead, she sings or weeps loudly when she senses impending death. Although the Banshee isn’t necessarily evil, she is feared by both the Irish and the Scottish because of her association with death and impending doom. They dread her haunting cries, and it is said that those who are about to die can hear her cries, no matter where they are in the world. However, the people appreciate the warning ahead of time.

Abilities: The Banshee is a spirit, having no corporeal form to speak of. Thus, she is impervious to physical attacks. Furthermore, she is able to disappear and become invisible at will. Her incorporeal form allows her to pass through physical barriers with ease. As mentioned previously, the Banshee is able to foretell of impending death, singing and weeping with such a sad tone that the people are unable to mistake the dire warning that she conveys. However, it is possible that the Banshee’s touch could have a dangerous, perhaps even fatal, effect on the living. However, this has never been proven, as she seems to be a pacifistic spirit. Weaknesses: While the Banshee is unable to be physically harmed or killed, she may possess a few weaknesses. As the Banshee is thought to be some sort of faery spirit as well as a blade of cold iron (that is, iron that has been shaped without heat) could possibly hurt her, although this is only a theory derived from the spirit’s association with faeries. Salt repels the Banshee, as it is considered to be pure and anathema to the denizens of the spirit world.

Any other methods of protecting oneself from the Banshee are unknown at this point. If the Banshee was once human (not all Banshees are ghosts), she may be able to be put to rest by finding her earthly remains, and then salting and burning them. History: The Banshee is a spirit of the dead, a harbinger of death. Originating from the Celtic lore of Ireland and Scotland, the Banshee is said to come into existence when a woman dies while giving birth. This tortured soul, unable to cherish the new life of her child, becomes restless in the grave. She is preordained by unknown forces to warn others of impending death, especially violent deaths. Another more malevolent version of the Banshee is the Bean Nighe, the “Little Washer by the Ford.” She is a hideous old hag who, like the Banshee, died in childbirth and went mad with grief. She is forever doomed to wash the bloodstained clothes of those who are about to die. She appears as a hideous old crone with glaring red eyes, a single sharpened front tooth, a single large nostril, large and pendulous sagging breasts, and great clawed webbed feet.

Most legends say that she is a cannibalistic flesh-eater, but some brave adventurers seek her out for help. According to legend, if a hero were to somehow suckle at one of her breasts, he would be rewarded. The Bean Nighe would gift him with second sight, grant a single wish, and be adopted by the creature, thus becoming her foster child and gaining her protection forever.

Question: Name the female spirit considered the harbinger of death in Irish folklore?
Answer: BANSHEE